Swimming duck toy



April 11, 1961 o. w. BERBERICH 2,978,832

SWIMMING DUCK TOY Filed Aug. 12. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS April1961 o. w. BERBERICH 2,978,832

SWIMMING DUCK TOY Filed Aug. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR QZZOWETZ'ET'Z'C A BY (R ATTORNEYS United States Patent"() SWIMMING DUCK TOYOtto W. Berberich, Rte. 1, Sandy Lane, Richmond, Va.

Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,319

7 Claims. (Cl. 46-107) This invention aims to provide a simple andinexpensive wheeled toy embodying duck simulations (or othersimulations) mounted on a platform and having oscillatory movementsabout vertical axes when the toy is pulled. When the simulationsrepresent ducks or the like, they will thus give the appearanceofswimming.

Another object is to provide the toy with one simulation of an adultduck or the like and with a plurality of ducklings or the like, therebywell representing a mother and her brood, all swimming.

A further object is to provide in a simple and inexpensive manner foroscillating two longitudinal rows of the ducklings or other simulations.

A still further object is to provide, simple, inexpensive and novelmeans for oscillating the simulation of the adult duck or the like.

Yet another object is to provide a novel construction which may beexpeditiously manufactured and will allow no jamming of elementsregardless of the rough tolerances inevitable in rapid toy manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent,the invention consists in general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in theseveral views, and

Figure 1 is a top View of the toy;

Figure 2 is a side view;

Figure 3 is a bottom View;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on lines 4-4 of Figures 1 and 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary disassembled perspective view showing elementsof the simulation actuating means.

The construction shown in the drawings will be rather specificallydescribed, but it is to be understood that variations may be made.

A rectangular platform 6 is provided at its lower side with frontbearings 7 and rear bearings 8. A front axle 9 is rotatable in thebearings 7 and has wheels 10 secured to its ends. A rear axle 11 isrotatable in the bearings 8 and has wheels 12 secured to its ends. Thisrear axle has a crank 13 centrally between its ends.

Two rows 14 and 14a of duckling simulations are disposed over theplatform 6, said rows extending longitudinally of said platform atopposite sides of its longitudinal center. The simulations of the row 14are denoted at 15, and those of the row 14a are denoted at 15a.

The simulations 15 of the row 14 are secured to the upper ends ofvertical shafts 16 which extend through openings in the platform 6. Thelower ends of these shafts 16 have crank arms 17 which are provided withdownwardly projecting crank pins 18. These crank pins 18 pass throughopenings in a first longitudinal link 19 and have nuts and lock nuts 20threaded on their lower ends.

The simulations 15a of the row 14a are secured to the upper ends ofvertical shafts 16a which extend through openings in the platform 6. Thelower ends of these shafts 16a have crank arms 17a which are providedwith downwardly projecting crank pins 18a. These crank pins 18a passthrough openings in a second longitudinal This cross link 21 underliesthe links 19 and 19a and has slots 22 through which the foremost of thecrank pins 18 and 18a extend. The slots 22 permit the necessarymovements of the links 19 and 19a toward and from each other as theselinks are longitudinally moved to swing the crank arms 17 and 17a, bythe means hereinafter described.

A longitudinal pitman 23 is disposed centrally between the links 19 and19a. The front end of the pitman 23 has ears 24 which straddle thecentral portion of the cross link 21 and are pivoted thereto by a bolt25. The rear end of the pitrnan 23 has a longitudinal slot 26 engagedwith the axle crank 13. The slot 26 is formed by notching the pitman 23and securing a metal strap 27 to said pitman across the open side of thenotch. The said slot 26 and the slot 22 allow smooth operation ofelements, without jamming, regardless of the rough tolerances which areinevitable in rapid toy manufacture.

An adult duck simulation 28 is disposed between the front ends of therows 14 and 14a of duckling simulations 15 and 15a. The simulation 28 issecured to a vertical shaft 29 which extends through an opening in theplatform 6. The lower end of the shaft 29 has a crank arm 30 which ispivoted at 31 to the front end of a link 32. The rear end of this link32 is pivoted on the foremost of the crank pins 18 and is thus pivotallyconnected to the longitudinal link 19 and cross link 21. A spacer 33 ispreferably disposed between this cross link 21 and the link 19.

Pull cords 34 are connected to the platform 6 and may extend to a ring(not shown).

Operation As the toy is pulled, the axle crank 13 reciprocates thepitman 23, causing the cross link 21 to reciprocate the longitudinallinks 19 and 19a, which actuate the crank arms 17 and 17a and oscillatethe duckling simulations 15 and 15a. At the same time, the link 32actuates the crank arm 30 to oscillate the adult duck simulation 23.Thus, the appearance of a mother duck swimming with her brood ofducklings is well represented.

The toy may be rapidly and inexpensively manufactured from wood, wire,short sheet metal strips, and conventional nuts, bolts, screws, etc. Itmay therefore be profitably marketed at a reasonable price.

Attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations, andparticular attention is invited to the possibility of having thesimulations represent creatures other than ducks.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a platform, wheeled supporting means upon which saidplatform is mounted, said wheeled supporting means including a wheeldriven axle having a crank, two longitudinal rows of simulations oversaid platform, individual vertical shafts secured to said simulationsrespectively and extending downwardly through said platform, the lowerends of said vertical shafts having crank arms respectively, the crankarms allotted to each of said rows of simulations extending toward thoseallotted to the other of said rows, a first longitudinal link pivotallyconnected to the crank arms allotted to one of said rows, a secondlongitudinal link pivotally connected to the crank arms allotted to saidother of said rows, a cross link extending between and havingconnections with said first and second links, said connections beingconstructed to allow movement of said first, and secondlinks toward andfrom each other, and a longitudinal pitman between said first and secondlinks and pivoted atone end to said cross link, the other end of saidpitman being engaged with said crank of said axle; whereby rotation ofsaid axle will causeoscillation of said simu lations.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said connectionscomprise slots in said cross link and pivots extending through saidslots from said first and second l nk 3. A structure as specified inclaim 1, in which said pitman has a longitudinal slot loosely engagedwithsaid crank of said axle.

'4. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with an additionalsimulation at the front end of said rows, an additional vertical shaftsecured to said additional simulation and extending downwardly throughsaid platform, the lower end of said additional shaft having a crankarm, and a link connecting said crank arm with one of said movable linksbelow said wheeled supporting means to cause oscillation of saidadditional simulation.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with an additionalsimulation at the front end of said rows, an additional vertical shaftsecured to said additional simulation and extending downwardly throughsaid platform, the lower end of said additional shaft having a crankarm, and a link connecting said crank arm with one of the said crankarms of said structure to cause oscillation of said additionalsimulation.

6. A toy eomprising a platform, wheeled supporting means upon which saidplatform is mounted, said wheeled supporting means including a wheeldriven axle having a crank, at least two longitudinal rows ofsimulations over said platform, individual vertical shafts secured tosaid simulations, respectively, and extending downwardly through saidplatform, the lower ends of said vertical shafts having crank arms,respectively, a first longitudinal link pivotally connected to the crankarms allotted to one of said rows, a second longitudinal linkpivotally-connected to the crank arms allotted to the other of said mws,a cross-link extending between and having connections with said firstand second links, and a longitudinal pitman between said first andsecond links and pivoted at one end to said cross-link, the other end ofsaid pitman being engaged with said crank of said vehicle; wherebyrotation of said axle will cause oscillation of said simulations. a c

7. A structure as'set forth in claim 6, together with an additionalsimulation at the front end of said rows, an additional vertical shaftsecured to said additional simulation and extendingidownwardly throughsaid platform, the lower end of said additional shaft having a crankarm, and a link connecting said crank arm with one of said movable linksbelow said wheeled supporting means to cause. oscillation of saidadditional simulation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

